Svengali (/svɛŋˈɡɑːli/) is a character in the novel Trilby which was first published in 1894 by George du Maurier. Svengali is a Jewish man who seduces, dominates and exploits Trilby, a young half-Irish girl, and makes her into a famous singer.[1]
After the book’s publication in 1894, the word "svengali" has come to refer to a person who, with evil intent, dominates, manipulates and controls another.
In court, the Svengali Defence is a legal tactic that portrays the defendant as a pawn in the scheme of a greater, and more influential, criminal mastermind.[2]
Svengali is a stereotypical antisemitic portrayal of an Ashkenazic (Eastern European) Jew, complete with "bold, black, beady Jew's eyes" and a "hoarse, rasping, nasal, throaty rook's caw, his big yellow teeth baring themselves in a mongrel canine snarl". He is continually filthy and yet still "clean enough to suit (his own) kind".[3][4]George Orwell wrote that Svengali, who while cleverer than the Englishmen, is evil, effeminate, and physically repugnant, was "a sinister caricature of the traditional type" and an example of "the prevailing form of antisemitism."[5]
(Svengali) would either fawn or bully, and could be grossly impertinent. He had one kind of cynical humour, which was more offensive than amusing, and always laughed at the wrong thing, at the wrong time, in the wrong place, and his laughter was always derisive, and full of malice.[6]
In the novel, Svengali transforms Trilby into a great singer by using hypnosis. Unable to perform without Svengali’s help, Trilby becomes entranced.
PortrayalsEdit
Svengali was almost immediately stripped of his Judaism in portrayals.[4] Svengali was first portrayed by the English actor Herbert Beerbohm Tree in London and by the actor Wilton Lackaye in the United States in the stage play of 1895, Trilby. The story has also been used in several movies.
The character "Levi Svengali" was portrayed by actor and director Ash Avildsen in the television series Paradise City released by Amazon Prime Video in March 2021.[8]
The 2011/12 stage show of Derren Brown, a British illusionist, revolves around an automaton named Svengali. He makes multiple references to the novel throughout the show.[9]
In Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Season 8, Episode 2 "Clock", the suspected kidnapper is referred to as a "Svengali" multiple times.
In Better Call Saul, season 2, episode 8, Chuck McGill refers to his brother Jimmy as a "Svengali".
In ‘’Seinfeld’’, season 4, episode 6, Elaine feels that her psychiatrist boyfriend possesses Svengali-like powers over her.
"Svengali" is also the title of a song by Steve Taylor on his 1987 album I Predict 1990. The song tells of an authoritative figure who manipulates a young woman into travelling with him and warns the listener of the "power that the evil men use".
^Rosenberg, Edgar (1960). From Shylock to Svengali: Jewish Stereotypes in English Fiction. Stanford University Press.
^Seelymarch, Katharine Q. (13 March 2015). "Defense in Marathon Bombing Has Echo of Clarence Darrow". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
^"The Project Gutenberg eBook of Trilby, by George du Maurier". Project Gutenberg. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
^ abWald, Gayle (26 September 2011). "How Svengali Lost His Jewish Accent". Sounding Out!. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
^Orwell, George (2000). George Orwell: The Collected Essays, Journalism and Letters. An age like this, 1920–1940. David R. Godine Publisher. ISBN978-1-56792-136-6.
svengali, this, article, about, fictional, character, other, uses, disambiguation, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, examples, perspective, this, article,. This article is about the fictional character For other uses see Svengali disambiguation This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages The examples and perspective in this article may not include all significant viewpoints Please improve the article or discuss the issue August 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Svengali news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message Svengali s v ɛ ŋ ˈ ɡ ɑː l i is a character in the novel Trilby which was first published in 1894 by George du Maurier Svengali is a Jewish man who seduces dominates and exploits Trilby a young half Irish girl and makes her into a famous singer 1 Svengali as a spider in his web Illustration by George du Maurier 1895 Contents 1 Definition 2 Novel 3 Portrayals 4 Popular culture 5 References 6 External linksDefinition EditAfter the book s publication in 1894 the word svengali has come to refer to a person who with evil intent dominates manipulates and controls another In court the Svengali Defence is a legal tactic that portrays the defendant as a pawn in the scheme of a greater and more influential criminal mastermind 2 Novel Edit nbsp Wilton Lackaye as Svengali 1905 Svengali is a stereotypical antisemitic portrayal of an Ashkenazic Eastern European Jew complete with bold black beady Jew s eyes and a hoarse rasping nasal throaty rook s caw his big yellow teeth baring themselves in a mongrel canine snarl He is continually filthy and yet still clean enough to suit his own kind 3 4 George Orwell wrote that Svengali who while cleverer than the Englishmen is evil effeminate and physically repugnant was a sinister caricature of the traditional type and an example of the prevailing form of antisemitism 5 Svengali would either fawn or bully and could be grossly impertinent He had one kind of cynical humour which was more offensive than amusing and always laughed at the wrong thing at the wrong time in the wrong place and his laughter was always derisive and full of malice 6 In the novel Svengali transforms Trilby into a great singer by using hypnosis Unable to perform without Svengali s help Trilby becomes entranced Portrayals EditSvengali was almost immediately stripped of his Judaism in portrayals 4 Svengali was first portrayed by the English actor Herbert Beerbohm Tree in London and by the actor Wilton Lackaye in the United States in the stage play of 1895 Trilby The story has also been used in several movies The character was portrayed in the following films which were all titled Svengali first by Ferdinand Bonn in the silent film of 1914 7 then by Paul Wegener in the silent film of 1927 by John Barrymore in 1931 by Donald Wolfit in 1954 in Technicolor and by Peter O Toole in the film of 1983 which was a modernised version made for television and co starred Jodie Foster In the movie of March 1983 however the names of the characters were changed The character Levi Svengali was portrayed by actor and director Ash Avildsen in the television series Paradise City released by Amazon Prime Video in March 2021 8 Popular culture EditIn a 1967 episode of the BBC radio comedy Round The Horne called Trilby the part of Svengali was played by Kenneth Williams The 2011 12 stage show of Derren Brown a British illusionist revolves around an automaton named Svengali He makes multiple references to the novel throughout the show 9 In Law amp Order Special Victims Unit Season 8 Episode 2 Clock the suspected kidnapper is referred to as a Svengali multiple times In Better Call Saul season 2 episode 8 Chuck McGill refers to his brother Jimmy as a Svengali In Seinfeld season 4 episode 6 Elaine feels that her psychiatrist boyfriend possesses Svengali like powers over her Svengali is also the title of a song by Steve Taylor on his 1987 album I Predict 1990 The song tells of an authoritative figure who manipulates a young woman into travelling with him and warns the listener of the power that the evil men use In Roman Holiday Nicki Minaj claims to be the ultimate Svengali References Edit Rosenberg Edgar 1960 From Shylock to Svengali Jewish Stereotypes in English Fiction Stanford University Press Seelymarch Katharine Q 13 March 2015 Defense in Marathon Bombing Has Echo of Clarence Darrow The New York Times Retrieved 26 June 2016 The Project Gutenberg eBook of Trilby by George du Maurier Project Gutenberg Retrieved 17 May 2022 a b Wald Gayle 26 September 2011 How Svengali Lost His Jewish Accent Sounding Out Retrieved 17 May 2022 Orwell George 2000 George Orwell The Collected Essays Journalism and Letters An age like this 1920 1940 David R Godine Publisher ISBN 978 1 56792 136 6 Du Maurier George Trilby Harper s New Monthly Magazine Volume 88 number 525 February 1894 https books google com books id F2EwAQAAMAAJ amp pg PA329 v onepage amp q amp f false p 329 Svengali mit Ferdinand Bonn in der Titelrolle Neue Freie Presse 3 April 1914 p 22 Retrieved 8 January 2022 Schafer Juli 9 September 2020 Paradise City Found Television Academy Archived from the original on 22 October 2022 Svengali Derren Brown stage shows derrenbrown co uk External links Editdu Maurier George 1894 Trilby Vol 1 London England Osgood McIlvaine amp Co OCLC 6326099 OL 14046193M Retrieved 22 October 2022 vol 2 vol 3 Mayo Archie director 1931 Svengali Warner Bros Pictures Retrieved 22 October 2022 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Svengali amp oldid 1179677262, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
